Amalgamator.



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' D. MOKELVEY.

AMALGAMATOR. APPLIOATION FILED Nv.15. 1905.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. e, 1906.

Application filed November 15, 1905- Sorial No. 287.466.

To @ZZ whom it may concern: A

Be it known that I, DAVID MoKELvEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amalgamators, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction lofamalgamator which will operate efficiently to separate free gold fromauriferous bearing material and which will thoroughly intermingle thegold with mercury under such pressure that all of the particles of thegold will effectl an amalgamation with the mercury.

More specifically, it is the object of my invention to rovide animproved amalgamator in which t e auriferous material as 1t is fed tothe mercury bath will be caught by streams containing a solution oragent for destroying an slime that may be present in the pulp whic willsubsequently by the action of other streams of water, steam, air, or gasor any similar agent drive the' pulp into the `mercury and' cause it tobe thoroughly commingled with the mercury to form a high per cent.amalgam and which will finally discharge the pulp u wardly through.Whirlin streams, which l keep the side walls of the discharge-passageclear of pulp .after the gold has been extracted; and a further objectofthe invention is to provide an amalgamator of the essentialcharacteristics above set forth with an im roved jacket for steam, hotair, or any hot quid or gas that will keep the mercury bath warm.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the 'means foreffecting the result reference is to be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawin s, which- Figure 1 is a side e evation. Fig. 2is a longitudinal section. Figs'. 3 and 4 are horizontal sections takenon different planes. Fig. 5 is an end elevation. Fig. 6 is a top planview.

Corresponding and hke parts are referred to in the followin descriptlonand indicated in all the views o the drawings by the saine referencecharacters.

My improved amalgamator comprises a,

casting or suitable metallic. structure which may be made. in one, two,or any convenient 'v both the sluice-column andthe two pul dischargecolumns extending aipproximate y in a vertical direction and a of themat their lower ends communicating with a mercury-chamber 3, which isprovided at its lower end with a draw-off port or passage 4. Preferablythe structure in cross-section ta ers in a downward direction, so thattheA p p-discharging columns 2 are contracted at their lower ends where'they meet the lower end of the sluice-column 1, and the walls of thedatter are provided with an outwardlyextending iiange 5, thefunction ofwhich will be described in connection with the other parts when theoperation of the amalgamator is set forth. The sluice-column 1 is formedby a central hollow structure 6,`which, as shown, is of frusto-conicalshape inverted and is hollow, so asl to provide upper and lower chambers7 and 8, which are separated from each other by solid partition-walls asclearly shown in the drawings. In t ose. portions-,of the walls of thecentral structure 6 which constitute the upper chamber 7 are a pluralityof ports or jets 9,l which open inwardly from the chamber 7 into thesluicecolumn near the upper end .of the latter. From the chamber y8downwardly-extending jets or nozzles 11 extendin'to' the lower end ofthe sluice-column 1. The outer walls of the structure which boundl thetwo vertical pul -discharging columns 2 are provided wit independent ordistinct upper and lower chambers 12, and at suitable points orintervals around said chambers 12 there are located non-radial outletjets or openings 13. As best seen in Figs. 1 and 5, the upper chamber.12 is provided with a boxing .15, havin inlet-openings 12a communicatingwith t e chamber, said boxing 15 also be.

provided with a middle section formed w1t an inlet-opening 17, designedto communileo cate with the interior of the chamber 7.

In a similar mannerthe boxing 1Q is provided for the lower chamber 1 2,said lower boxing-being also formed'with inlet-opentively. By thisprovision of separate boxings, as described, the supply of iluid to therespective chambers may be independently controlled. These independentinlet-openings for they respective chambers may be provided withglobe-valves or other similar devices for the independent control.

The'p-uip is fed 1 into the amalgamator by means of the sluice-column 1.As it is admitted to the sluice 1 it is caught by streamscontainingasolution or agent for destroying any slime that maybe in it,said streams issuing out 'of the ports or' jets 9. Further on in the1sluice the pulp meets other streams, which i are of water, steam, or anysimilar agent, is-

suing forcibly 'out of the jets or nozzles 11, and o to the Adownwarddeflection of said jets the pulp will be forciblyimpelled through themercury which is in the chamber `3, preferably toa height just above theflange 5, and will be caused to thoroughly commingle with the Imercuryto form the amalgam. The pulp' by means of itsrelative specific gravity'will rise in' the side columns 2, and the flange z5 by its projectinglocation will prevent the pulp from hugging the interior walls of theapparatus when passing through the mercury. As the pulp after the goldhas been extracted therefrom rises into the side columns 2 ity will becaught by whirling streams, which issue out ofthe two sets of "j ets ornozzles and owing vtoS the vlwhirlingy motion set up will be carrie'dupwardlyand out of the 'amalgamator without clinging to the vsides lofthe same.

In order to' keep the mercury bath sufficiently warm,'I 'have provided ajacket 14, which fits around the bottom of theapparatus, be'ingsecuredthereto by bolts or the like, and by its connection keeps the mercurysufficiently'warm by means of steam, hot air, or any other hot liquid orgas that may be used for the purpose.

lFrom the foregoingdescription, in connection with the accompanyin`drawings,v itwill be seen that I have provide .an amalgamator in whichthe pulp will be thoroughly treated toeifect'a separation of the goldtherefrom.

: Having thus described the invention, what is claimedas new isl. An'amalgamator. provided with aV bottom"mercury-chamber and withupwardlydischarging vcolumns opening thereinto and 'with a 4centralstructure providing one' wall of said columns `and a verticalsluice-column between said side columns, said central structure beingprovided with upper and lower chambers'separated from each other, meansfor supplying, the' upper end of said sluice 'with 'a' slime-destroyingagent-issuing' from easier' said upper chamber, downwardly-deflectedjets or nozzles issuing yfrom the lower chamber of the sluice, andnon-radial jets in said side columns.

2. An amalgamator provided with a bottom mercury-chamber and withupwardlydischarging columns opening thereinto-and with a centralstructure providing one-wall of said columns and a verticalsluice-column between said side columns, said central structure beingprovided with' upper and lower chambers separate from veach other, theupper chamber beingprovided with ports opening into the vsluice-columnand the lower chamber being formed with downwardly-extending nozzlesalso opening into the-sluicecolumn near the bottom thereof, and meansfor supplying the said upper and lower chambers with iiuidindependently. v

3. An amalgamator provided witha bottom mercury-chamber a'discharge-column opening upwardly therefrom, and asluice with its4lower end opening into the mercurychamber, and an upper .and a lowerset of jets opening into saidsluice, the lower set of jets extendingdownwardly into the sluice and both sets of jets being arranged forindependent control.

4. An' amalgamator providedfwithfa bottom mercury-chamber, a centralsluice openingV thereinto and two upwardly-discharging slime-columns onop osite sides of said sluice and opening at their ower-ends int-o themercury-chamber,- the amalgamator' being also providedwith upper andlower distinct chambers 12 providedwith non-'radial jetsopening into theslime-discharge columna-fand each chamber being designed for independentcon nection to the source- Ofluid-Supply, and.

two sets lofvjets opening into the sluice-col umn one set above theotherthe 'loweriset extending downwardly,- both sets ofj ets beingarranged fori independent `connection to Edifferent sources ofHuid-supply, asand for the purpose set forth.

5. An amalgamatorprovidedwith: a bottom mercurychamber,a1rd=:acentralstructure constituting two side discharge-columns and centralvertical sluice-column, said structure being providedwith aniupper and alower chamber surrounding the-sluice-column said chambers being separatefrom each other the upper chamber being formed with jets -openvingintothe sluice-columns,^=and the-lower chamber beingdprovided with 'etsopen-ing in a downwardly irection in sai sluice-column near the bottomthereof, the amalgamator being also provided with two distinct'chambers12 one above the other and surround-ing the discharge-columns and:provided' with. nonradial jets opening into said` discharge-col-:umnsyupper and lower bcxings for said cham- Ils bers 12 respectivelythe upper bo being provided withan inlet-opening for tIle discharge ofiuid into the upper chamber 12 and with openin s 17 for the passage offluid into the up er c amber of the central structure and t e lowerboxing being also provided with inlet-openings for the lower chamber 12and with independent openings 18 for In testimony w ereof I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID MCKELVEY. [L. s.] Witnesses: v

SAMUEL F. MCKELVEY,

JOHN PETERS.

